Publish Date: 03-12-2025
Auto Insurance
What Is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?
Bodily injury (BI) liability insurance is one of the components of liability auto insurance that protects you when you cause a car accident that hurts someone else. It helps cover the accident-related medical expenses for the other party. It can also pay for lost income, legal fees, and other costs tied to their injuries. This insurance coverage doesn’t pay your own bills after an accident. However, it shields your finances by covering the maximum amount allowed under your liability limits. Most states mandate this coverage as part of the liability insurance requirement, which is why every driver needs to understand how this part of their auto insurance works.
How Does Bodily Injury Liability Car Insurance Work?
Bodily injury liability steps in when you cause a car accident and someone gets hurt. Your insurance company pays their medical bills, lost income, and legal fees up to your coverage limit. This helps protect your savings because the insurer handles the accident-related medical expenses, not you.
Most policies use split limits. You get a per-person limit (e.g., $25K) and a per-accident limit (e.g., $50K). The first number is the most your insurance coverage will pay for one injured person. The second number is the maximum amount your insurer will pay for everyone hurt in that accident.
Here’s a simple example.
Imagine your bodily injury liability coverage is $30,000/$60,000. You hit another car, and two people are hurt. Sarah has $12,000 in medical bills. David has $38,000. Your insurer pays the full $12,000 for Maria. It pays $30,000 for David because that’s your per-person cap. You would owe the remaining $8,000 out of pocket, even though the total accident cost is still under $60,000. This shows how your liability insurance protects you, but only up to the maximum amount you choose. Higher limits offer more room when things go wrong.
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What Does Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Cover?
So, Bodily injury liability covers the costs you’re responsible for when you hurt someone in a car accident. It focuses on their medical needs and the financial impact of their injuries.
Here’s what this insurance coverage can help pay for:
- Medical bills, including emergency care, hospital visits, follow-up treatment, and medical equipment.
- Lost income if the injured person can’t work because of the accident.
- Pain and suffering, which covers long-term physical or emotional impact.
- Funeral costs if the crash leads to a fatality.
- Legal fees if the injured party files a lawsuit and you need an attorney.
Please remember that these payments always go to the other person. Your own medical costs fall under personal injury protection, MedPay, or your health insurance, depending on your state and your auto insurance policy.
What Isn’t Covered by Bodily Injury Liability (BI) Insurance?
Bodily injury liability only pays for the other person’s injuries when you’re at fault. It won’t cover your own medical needs or damage to your vehicle. Because of that, you need other auto insurance coverages in place to stay protected on all sides.
Here’s what BI insurance does not cover:
- Your medical bills or treatment for passengers from your household.
- Repairs to your car, even if the accident was someone else’s fault.
- Property damage to another person’s vehicle or belongings.
- Accident-related medical expenses for you or your family members.
- Damage from non-accident events, like theft, weather, or flooding.
- Injuries to employees, which fall under workers’ compensation, not liability insurance.
How Much Bodily Injury Liability Coverage Do I Need?
How much coverage you need depends. However, it goes beyond the minimum limits since the minimum limit rarely matches real-life costs. Medical bills can be too high, and even a short hospital stay can push past low state limits. Because of this, your bodily injury liability coverage should protect your income, savings, and any other assets at risk in a lawsuit.
A simple way to choose your limit is to look at your net worth. Higher limits give you more room if someone has long-term injuries or needs ongoing care. Many experts see 100/300 as a safer starting point. And drivers with more to protect often go even higher. If your auto insurer doesn’t offer limits big enough, an umbrella insurance policy can extend your protection when the claim exceeds your primary policy.
Umbrella insurance can be very useful because it provides additional liability coverage beyond the limits of your bodily injury policy.
Learn more: How much coverage do I need for auto insurance?
Minimum Bodily Injury Liability Requirements by State
The table below shows the minimum bodily injury limits each state requires per person and per accident. These numbers represent the lowest coverage you must carry to drive legally:
State | BI Per Person | BI Per Accident |
Alabama | $25,000 | $50,000 |
Alaska | 50,000 | 100,000 |
Arizona | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Arkansas | 25,000 | 50,000 |
California | 30,000 | 60,000 |
Colorado | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Connecticut | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Delaware | 25,000 | 50,000 |
District of Columbia | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Florida | 10,000 | 20,000 |
Georgia | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Hawaii | 20,000 | 40,000 |
Idaho | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Illinois | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Indiana | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Iowa | 20,000 | 40,000 |
Kansas | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Kentucky | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Louisiana | 15,000 | 30,000 |
Maine | 50,000 | 100,000 |
Maryland | 30,000 | 60,000 |
Massachusetts | 20,000 | 40,000 |
Michigan | 50,000 | 100,000 |
Minnesota | 30,000 | 60,000 |
Mississippi | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Missouri | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Montana | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Nebraska | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Nevada | 25,000 | 50,000 |
New Hampshire | 25,000 | 50,000 |
New Jersey | 25,000 | 50,000 |
New Mexico | 25,000 | 50,000 |
New York | 25,000 | 50,000 |
North Carolina | 30,000 | 60,000 |
North Dakota | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Ohio | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Oklahoma | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Oregon | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Pennsylvania | 15,000 | 30,000 |
Rhode Island | 25,000 | 50,000 |
South Carolina | 25,000 | 50,000 |
South Dakota | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Tennessee | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Texas | 30,000 | 60,000 |
Utah | 30,000 | 65,000 |
Vermont | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Virginia | 30,000 | 60,000 |
Washington | 25,000 | 50,000 |
West Virginia | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Wisconsin | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Wyoming | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Source: Insurance Information Institute (III) | NerdWallet | As of November 2025
What Are Bodily Injury Liability Limits?
Bodily injury liability includes two types of limits that decide how much your insurance company can pay after a car accident. You’ll see them listed on your auto insurance policy as something like $50,000 / $100,000. These numbers show the maximum amount your insurer will pay for accident-related medical expenses.
Per Person Limit
Let’s say your per person limit is $50,000. Then, this is the most your insurance coverage will pay for one injured person. If their medical bills go past this limit, you’re responsible for the rest.
Per Accident Limit
Let’s say your per-accident limit is $100,000. In this case, this is the maximum amount your insurer will pay for everyone hurt in the same accident. Once the combined bills reach this number, coverage stops.
How Much Does Bodily Injury Liability Coverage Cost?
Bodily injury liability coverage typically costs around $18 to $51 per month, depending on your limits and personal factors. It's not priced separately, as it's part of your overall liability coverage.
However, the exact cost of bodily injury liability coverage depends on the limits you choose and your personal rating factors. Higher limits cost more because the insurer takes on a bigger financial risk.
Your driving record, vehicle type, location, and even past insurance claims also influence the price. In most states, BI coverage is already included in your base auto insurance policy, so you mainly pay more when you raise your liability limits for stronger protection.
Difference Between Bodily Injury and Property Damage
Both bodily injury and property damage are part of liability auto insurance coverage. So, it’s important to have a clear idea of what they cover for you!
Bodily injury liability pays for the other person’s medical needs when you cause a car accident. It covers their treatment costs, lost income, and legal fees if they take you to court.
On the other hand, property damage liability handles the physical loss. It pays to repair or replace another person’s car, fence, mailbox, or any other property you hit. It doesn’t cover injuries or your own repairs. Both coverages work together in every auto insurance policy, and most states require you to carry minimum limits for each.
Comparing Bodily Injury Vs. PIP Vs. MedPay Coverage
Drivers often mix these coverages because they all deal with medical bills after a car accident, yet each one protects differently and a different group of people.
Bodily injury liability pays for the other party’s injuries when you’re at fault. Personal injury protection covers you and your passengers, and it also helps with extra costs like lost income or rehab, depending on your state. MedPay or Medical Payments Coverage is simpler. It pays small to moderate medical expenses for you and your passengers regardless of fault.
Here's a quick table to help you understand the distinctions of these coverages:
Coverage Type | Who It Covers | What It Pays For | When It Applies |
Bodily Injury Liability | Other drivers, their passengers, pedestrians | Medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, legal fees | When you are at fault |
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) | You and your passengers | Medical bills, lost income, rehab, and some essential services | In no-fault states or where offered |
MedPay | You and your passengers | Medical bills only | Regardless of fault |
What Happens If You Don’t Have Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?
Driving without bodily injury liability leaves you fully exposed after a car accident. If someone gets hurt, you may have to pay their medical bills, lost income, and legal fees from your own pocket. The injured person can sue you, or they might turn to their underinsured motorist coverage, which can then seek reimbursement from you later. These situations escalate quickly and often require help from an attorney who handles injury claims. Since most states require this insurance coverage, you could also face fines or license issues on top of the financial fallout.
After all, not having bodily injury coverage means you don’t carry minimum liability. So, you’ll face the consequences for driving without insurance in nearly every state except for New Hampshire (where you have the option to carry proof of financial responsibility instead of insurance).
Wrapping Up
Bodily injury liability protects you when a car accident harms someone else. It covers their medical bills, lost income, and legal fees, up to your liability limits. You learned how this coverage works, what it pays for, what it excludes, and why stronger limits offer better protection. Pairing it with PIP or MedPay fills the gaps for your own injuries. In the end, choosing the right limits is one of the smartest ways to safeguard your income and assets.
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance FAQs
What does $100k / $300k / $100k mean?
These numbers show your liability limits. The first is the most your insurer will pay for one injured person. The second is the total the company will pay for everyone hurt in the same accident. The third is the property damage limit for repairs to someone else’s car or property.
What is an example of bodily injury?
A driver with a broken arm, whiplash, or head injury after a car accident is considered to have a bodily injury. Their medical bills, lost income, and related treatment costs fall under bodily injury claims.
What is bodily injury liability in Michigan?
Michigan requires drivers to carry bodily injury liability to cover injuries they cause to others. It applies if the victim driver sues you after an accident. The state default coverage is $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident, though drivers can choose lower limits ($50,000/$100,000) with a special form. Choosing a higher limit is safer since medical treatment can be very costly. Learn more about Michigan auto insurance requirements.
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What Is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?
Bodily injury (BI) liability insurance is one of the components of liability auto insurance that protects you when you cause a car accident that hurts someone else. It helps cover the accident-related medical expenses for the other party. It can also pay for lost income, legal fees, and other costs tied to their injuries.
What Is Personal Injury Protection Insurance?
Personal Injury Protection was first introduced in 1970 as part of no-fault insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). The idea was to help people get medical care quickly after a car accident, without waiting for arguments about fault. It grew into a key part of auto insurance because it covers urgent needs such as medical bills, lost income, and other injury-related costs that follow an auto accident.
How Much Does Boat Insurance Cost?
If you’re exploring boat insurance for your dinghy, jet ski, yacht, or any other boat, the first concern that comes to mind is the cost. On average, boat insurance premiums can vary from $200 to $500 annually, but for larger boats with bigger engines, the cost can hit $1,000 or more.
As a rule of thumb, boat insurance typically runs about 1% to 3% of your boat’s current market value (and in some cases, up to 5% for high-risk vessels). For example, a $40,000 boat might cost between $400 and $1,200 annually to insure.
How Much Is Motorcycle Insurance in Michigan?
The cost of motorcycle insurance in Michigan can vary widely based on several key factors. On average, you can expect to pay between $16 and $22 per month for minimum coverage, and around $38 for full coverage. However, your actual premium will depend on variables such as your age, the type of motorcycle you ride, your experience level, where you live in Michigan, and so on.
Are Hybrid Cars More Expensive to Insure?
Are hybrid vehicles more expensive to insure? The short answer is yes. On average, insurance companies charge about 5% to 15% more to insure hybrid vehicles compared to regular gas-powered cars. This is primarily because hybrids use advanced technology and tend to cost more to repair or replace. Still, many insurance providers now offer competitive rates for these eco-friendly vehicles, which are definitely worth exploring.
Does No Fault Accident Affect Insurance in the Future?
You drive carefully, yet an accident happens, and it wasn’t your fault. If this is your scenario, you might wonder, what happens to your insurance premium after an accident that you didn’t cause?
